Protect Clean Water and Landowner Rights

North Carolina's Senate Bill 820 legalized the controversial practice of fracking, during which millions of gallons of water laced with toxic chemicals are pumped underground at high pressure to shatter rock and release natural gas. Fracking has tainted ground water and threatened landowner rights across the U.S.

Senate Bill 820 also established a new board which is heavily tilted in favor of the fracking industry, to create rules such as where and how to drill, when to notify neighbors, what to do with wastes, etc. North Carolina's House Speaker Thom Tillis has filled the board's House "conservation" seat with the co-founder and leader of North Carolina Oil and Gas -- a company committed to drilling, fracking and representing landowners in negotiating gas leases in exchange for a cut of bonus payments and royalties.

Tell Speaker Tillis that you oppose the rush to frack in North Carolina and are very disappointed in his "conservation" appointment.

I am very disappointed that the North Carolina legislature passed Senate Bill 820 legalizing fracking despite the controversies surrounding this practice. Furthermore, your appointment of Mr. Ray Covington (co-founder of North Carolina Oil and Gas) to the House "conservation" seat on the newly created board that will oversee fracking is simply outrageous. Upon your election to Speaker of the House, you promised North Carolinians that you'd run the House with honor and fairness. This appointment reflects the significant imbalance of views on the Mining and Energy Commission and raises serious questions about its legitimacy.

[Your comments will be inserted here]

I oppose fracking and am very disappointed that you didn't choose to make an appropriate and reasonable selection for the House conservation seat.